There are good things and bad things about having interns come into your business. It may seem like cheap or free work, but poor interns can make more work for employees and can simply be a waste of time for your company. Students that come in only to get credits, and not to get some good work experience, can be a detriment.
However, some interns can be a benefit to your business. Those are the ones that come in and learn and do what they can to get the job done. They are also the ones that make you want to hire them on when their internship is over.
What Is An Intern?
Basically, and internship lets the potential employee or college student explore different types of jobs they may be interested in. Unlike an apprenticeship, they aren’t tying themselves to that one particular career. While neither of these pre-employment “jobs” generally pay, sometimes an intern will get a small stipend.
Internships are often used when in college to garner credits, while people who apprentice in a field are normally already done with school or they are getting their training in the apprenticeship.
The Bad Side Of Internships
There is no guarantee that the interns your business takes on are going to enjoy their experience at your business, and if they don’t like the training they get or the time spent there they won’t have any interest in coming back for full-time work. On top of that, they may decide to tell other people that they didn’t get what they wanted out of and internship and could lose future employees for your company as well.
Even your best intentions cannot guarantee that you will please every intern that comes through your doors. All you can do is try to give them each the best experience possible.
Scouting Great New Talent
The biggest benefit of bringing interns into your business is that it gives you a chance to scout out great new talent. Interns are trying to find their niche in the business world and there is a reason they chose to apply for an internship with your business. You should take the time to find out what type of work they want to do and what field of your business they are most interested in.
By playing on the interns actual interests you may find that you both have a more pleasant experience, and you may actually find an ideal worker that you want to hire into a full-time position with your company once their internship is over.
Much of the internship experience, for both sides, depends on how much effort and interest each party puts into it. If you treat your intern like they are in the way and not an asset, you are not going to be getting the most out of their interest and drive.
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